The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-11-07
A BIBLE FOR EVERY FAMILY
The Fourth Organized Effort to Place the
Divine Book in Every Household.
can Society's Purposes-What Has Been
Done by the Local Auxiliary.

Roberts Park Church was crowded last night at
the union meeting in aid of the American Bible
Society. The object was to revive the work from
a somewhat torpid condition into which it had
fallen, and try to restore it to its original effect
iveness. The opening exercises consisted of an
offertory solo. Zone Sweetly Solemn Thought"
excellently rendered by Mrs. L. J. Hunt. Script
ure reading by Rev. NJ. L. Haines, and prayer
by Rev. j. a. Rondthaler. The organist then
played selections from I'll Trovatore" while the
customary collection was taken.
A report from the local auxiliary Of the So
ciety was then presented. This body is known
the Indianapolis Female Bible Society. Mrs.
Eliza c. Hendricks is president, Miss Maggie
Elder secretary, Mrs G. W. Brouse treasurer
and Cathcart 81 Cleland deposirary. The re-
port was esented by Miss Elder, who said that
although this was the first report made for sew
eral years. the society had been working in
quiet way. The last canvass of the county was
made in 1883, connection with the national
canvass or CTS families then visited eighty
were without Bibles, and five refused to receive
them gifts. There we're one hundred families
in Indianapolis who did not have Bibles, and
these had been furnished where they would ac-
cept them. The orphan asylum, work-house,
Jail. and other public institutions, had been
supplied. The principal income of the society
was some $50 of interest. received annually
from the proceeds of lot donated to II by
Ingram Fletcher In 1871
Dr. Alexander Mclean was then introduced.
He said it seventy-two years since the
American Bible Society was founded, and II had
circulated fifty millions of Bibles 1t
might seem that there remained nothing for 1t
to do, but there was still great work before 1t.
The society has endeavored three times TO fur
nish Bible to every family in the United
States, and it is now engaged IN its fourth eff
fort In the Southern States there is need for
the distribution of the Bible among the
colored people. In Utah former occasions
the Mormnns assisted in distributing; now
the doors of the Mormon houses closed to
every gentle, matter what business he may
spy or United States official. ssThere have
BEEN" said the speaker, 400, 900 families found
who refused the Bible gift Why was thisf
At gathering in Baltimore tho Catholic clergy
declared that they favored the distribution of
the Bible. Not Why do they not have
found distributing the word of Gods
They hate the Bible as they did
in the olden time Besides Catholicism we have
infideity to fight. Chicago has seen the effects
of infidelity. No Anarchist believes in the
Bible Last year the society had 400 colpor-
tours in foreign lands who circulate 500. 600 COP
les of the Bible There time when the
Indian polls Female Bible Society used to send
MS 81. 600 annually, but that is many years ago.
when you cripple the American Bible Society you
injure your own homes"
Rev. w. /. Vigus then made an appeal for
aid to the work and urged that at least 500 be
A collection was then taken, but
the amouOt was not announced.